How would you like your very own Glam Squad?

I’m thinking of brides here – but if you’ve got a business shoot, an important social event or if you suspect you’re going to bump into the ex …listen up!

Let’s get this straight, this is not a privilege exclusive to celebs. Who wouldn’t love a dream team of makeup artists and stylists working their magic on your hair and face – especially on your wedding day?

And if your squad are working together – discussing your look, your wishes, and let’s have it right, Miss Thing …your demands, then boom! Glam Squad goals right there.

It just makes sense that when you’re choosing a makeup artist and a stylist for your wedding, that together they:

Engage with you right from the start and completely understand the look you want to achieve

Work together as professionals who respect each other to achieve this (you wouldn’t believe the horror stories I’ve heard about the rivalry between ‘professionals’ on the big day!)

Arrive together on your special day and won’t leave until the moment you walk up the aisle – looking perfect

Have experience of working together (even better when they are friends) to glam your whole wedding party and make you feel totally at ease

I’ve been a professional make up artist for sometime now, and yes, I like to think I’ve seen enough wedding stylists in action that I could create a half decent up do. And I’ve stylist friends who can rock a winged liner. But nothing beats an expert, who specialises in one or the other – to create perfection on your wedding day.

That’s why {Makeup by Natasha Louise} now provides hair and beauty for brides to be. Because I’ve had so many requests for stylist recommendations, and I really truly want my brides to have the best experience on their day. And what better way than providing a stylist from my own team who has the same values, principles and aspirations as me.

I scoured the land (well, the Cotswolds) to create a team of stylists to complement my team of makeup artists. And I’m picky, so apologies that it took me a while. But it’s worth the wait.

If you have a wedding or special event coming up, please get in touch so we can discuss all of the options available. I’m sure you have some questions, so feel free to fire away. I’m super excited about our little Glam Squad and can’t wait to share all the details with you.

Contact Us

Our experienced team of makeup artists provide bridal makeup and occasion makeup for clients in Ross-on-wye, the wider Herefordshire area and now the Cotswolds. To speak with a member of our team about anything makeup related, please:

The only 5 Autumn Beauty Tips you need

It may be Halloween season but that’s no excuse for looking like you’ve just been dug up! I’ve got 5 essential habits to incorporate into your beauty routine for the changing season. They are super quick, easy and won’t cost you the earth.

Make your skin glow

Treat your skin to some simple daily rituals to keep it glowing. Colder weather, dry air and central heating all dehydrate our faces, so top up the moisture levels by sipping water throughout the day. Exfoliate more often to stop your skin becoming dull. And invest in a really lovely moisturiser. I love Kiehls Ultra Facial Cream and Tropic Skin Feast nourishing cream concentrate! Pow! Beautiful skin from within.

It’s all about the base

Summer was all about a lightweight base as we had fresh, dewy skin and a gorgeous tan. But those days are over, my friend. Autumn make up calls for a hydrating foundation with a little more coverage. Use a highlighter on the apples of your cheeks for a touch of radiance. And don’t forget, even though we’ve said goodbye to the summer – using products with an SPF is always a good idea.

Lashes of lashes

The barely there look is behind us. Lashes are back! Apply lots of layers, experiment with coloured mascara or invest in some professional falsies. My all-time fave mascara is Bobbi Brown Smokey Eye Mascara. I love it mainly because it does what it says on the tin and the result is thick, smouldering lashes!!

Eyes and lips

Autumn is all about classic deep, rich palettes. Or is it? If the catwalk is anything to go by then bold pink, yellow and green is the hue for your eyes this season. If you’re not confident with eye shadow, maybe give a vivid coloured liner a try.

Finally, give your make up bag a makeover. Thoroughly clean all of your brushes and sponges. Take stock and swap out all of the summer make up and replace with some lovely new exciting shades. And ditch the broken, cracked, expired and grimy products which are taking up valuable space.

There you have it! 5 ways to make sure you’re prepped for autumn 2018.

Please don’t forget, I’m happy to answer any autumn beauty questions on Facebook and Instagram. And I’d love to see some selfies of your autumn look.

Get sharing!

Contact Us

Our experienced team of makeup artists provide bridal makeup and occasion makeup for clients in Ross-on-wye, the wider Herefordshire area and now the Cotswolds. To speak with a member of our team about anything makeup related, please:

Wonky falsies, panda eyes and other wedding day disasters

On your wedding day, you pray for sunshine, minimal family squabbles and a fairly kind speech from the best man. It’s the best we can hope for.

But when it comes to your make up, that’s something you have complete control over. There’s nothing that can go wrong here …or can it?

Well, there are a few common beauty mistakes made by brides which can end in proper disaster. Read on to make sure you avoid them!

Let’s try something new

No. Don’t do it! I always tell my brides, you want to look like you on your wedding day. And the groom will want that too. Opting for a heavy, smoky eye or a dramatic bright red lip when that’s not your normal style is not the way to dazzle. Heavy contouring might be a trend now, but when you look back on your photos in years to come, you want to look timeless. Keep it clean – not Kardashian.

Lash enhancements on the eve of your wedding day

Not a great idea. What if you have an allergic reaction? You decide you don’t like the look? They feel uncomfortable? Much better to have a trial a few weeks before and test them out. Same rules apply to fake tanning. A few days before the wedding is safest.

Speaking of trials …

Never skip this part. Schedule a make up trial as early as possible. Be prepared – share photos of you looking great, Pinterest ideas and celebrity looks you like. Wear white. Take selfies inside and outside in natural daylight. And finally, why not have a trusted friend with you to give their opinion? If they are part of the wedding party, they might like their own make up trial.

Can’t stress this enough

The morning of your wedding will be stressful! Even the coolest and most organised of brides will have a touch of the shakes and a possible melt down over the smallest thing. It’s ok, that’s completely normal. Having a make up artist on hand, somebody you have bonded with, you trust and will give you a last minute touch up before you head up the aisle is invaluable.

At Makeup by Natasha Louise, we love to help out with any other last minute requests. We’ve been more than happy to dress bridesmaids, sew in a bride, arrange button holes, dress the venue and even deliver wedding rings!

“I really hesitated to have my make up done professionally for my wedding in June 2016 as I was going to just do my own but somebody recommended Natasha and I thought I would contact her for a trial. Natasha was so lovely from the first moment I met her and I absolutely loved what she did so I decided to go for it. The end result on the big day was perfect and I was so pleased with what Natasha did for me and my 5 bridesmaids, so thank you Natasha!”

Kind words from my client, Sylvia.

I’m happy to arrange a bridal make up trial for you, or answer your bridal beauty questions on Facebook and Instagram.

Speak soon!

Contact Us

Our experienced team of makeup artists provide bridal makeup and occasion makeup for clients in Ross-on-wye, the wider Herefordshire area and now the Cotswolds. To speak with a member of our team about anything makeup related, please:

Personal Branding. What the heck is it?

Have you ever been to a networking event, an interview or a sales pitch? Jeez, even going for a few drinks with a mummy friend you met at the park, or a date?

You want to get across your best possible self. Be real, but demonstrate what you can do. Show how funny, clever and warm you are. And leave them with a feeling like …yeah, she was great.

That’s pretty easy to do in real life. Because that IS you. Sharp dresser with a wicked sense of humour and totally got your sh*t together. Or messy bun, sparkly eyes and a genuine warm hug.

In the virtual world that we live in, impressions are made of you within seconds of looking at your website or social media. And if you leave a bad one, or worse – non at all, it’s the difference between striking up a conversation, or not. Making a sale, or not.

Show them you, don’t tell them.

We can’t meet everyone and make them fall in love with us. So, the next best thing is to invite your potential customers into your world and allow them to understand and connect with you.

We’re not talking one of those horrible stiff headshots. You need really beautiful and eye-catching imagery to tell your story and stop them scrolling onto your competitors.

Our trusted hair stylists will perfect the look with a picture-perfect do.

Then my good friends at Little Cheltenham will capture the essence of you. Images that mean something, that depict your personality and are the next best thing to a kiss on the cheek and chat over a coffee.

You might be a little shy and stiff to begin with. Scrap that. You WILL be shy and stiff to begin with. But we are a really lovely and professional team who will support and direct you, and almost make you forget the camera is even there. And that’s when we get the best from you. And for you.

“I run a business coaching & consultancy practice and when coming up with ideas for my branded shoot I knew I’d need a professional make up artist to make sure I looked good on camera. I hired Natasha Louise, the owner of Make up by Natasha Louise, and I was blown away by her work. Not only was she an absolute joy to be around for the hour it took to apply the make up but the make up looked amazing. The biggest thing for me is that I actually don’t like wearing make up as it can feel really heavy and irritate my eyes but I wore this make up all day and it did not budge! Natasha truly understands make up and what will work best for your skin and the look you want to create. I do not use anyone else for my professional make up and highly recommend her to anyone that is looking for a true professional”

Work it. Own it.

When we’re done, you have your own library of images that you’re proud of to share on your website, social media, newsletters, email signatures, marketing, printed media. On a printed T shirt that you wear every single day! “Yup, that’s me that is!”

Drop me an email or call me 07528 038 703 so I can tell you more about our Personal Branding shoots.

Contact Us

Our experienced team of makeup artists provide bridal makeup and occasion makeup for clients in Ross-on-wye, the wider Herefordshire area and now the Cotswolds. To speak with a member of our team about anything makeup related, please:

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Brides of 2018

Brides of 2018: How to get the Markle sparkle for your makeup

Okay, so her natural beauty aside – we can all agree that Meghan nailed the peachy, glowing ‘effortless’ makeup look. She looked incredible, but most importantly, she looked like herself. Fresh with freckles, soft and light and oozing timeless elegance.

But you don’t need to be a Hollywood star with an A List complexion and a royal glam squad to achieve the same look. I’ll show you how it’s done with some top tips and insider secrets.

Skin

Right, I may have fibbed, but just a little. Your complexion is really important, and while makeup is key when it comes to transforming you from Cinderella to Princess, if you want to sparkle like Markle then your wedding day look has to begin way before the big day.

Stick religiously to your cleanse, tone and moisturise routine and down the Evian like a Love Island newbie. Dull it may be, but you’ll thank your lucky stars when you look back on your photos in years to come and your complexion is positively luminous.

However, if you’re like me, and all the scrubbing and H2o in the world won’t do the trick, you can get a little more help with these beauties –

Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturising Cream

Laura Mercier Foundation Primer- Radiance

Tropic- Elixir Oil

Eyebrows

We all want them – subtle but strong, framing without dominating and with an arch as perfect as St George’s Chapels itself. She would have had a thread or a wax before the wedding day as Meghan’s brows were perfect, and looked even more defined than her usual look without being severe.

The products I love for creating a beautiful brow are Anastasia Beverley Hills, Brow Wizz, and Benefit, Brow Zings.

Blush

According to Elle magazine, the Duchess of Sussex favours Honest Beauty Creme Blush in Truly Exciting. It’s an American brand, and unsurprisingly, it’s currently out of stock on their site. Honestly!

Eyes

Usually a fan of dark makeup around the eyes, the bride opted for a pared back look with a curled lash. And I often tell my brides, if you’re not usually an eye makeup kinda girl, then keep it natural on your wedding day. You want to look and feel like you, but on a really, really goodday.

Forget the Maid of Honour, mascara will be your best friend on your wedding day. It has to be long-lasting and really open up your eyes. And if it’s waterproof, even better. We bet even Meghan had a little tear after a few glasses of Champers! We like these –

Benefit- They’re Real

Bobbi Brown- Smokey Eye Mascara

Maybelline- Great Lash Big Mascara

Lips

It’s thought that Meghan j’adores her Dior Lip Glow in Coral. Dior is one of brands I use at Makeup by Natasha Louise.

But it’s no good plonking it on you on the morning of the wedding and hoping for the best. Your wedding makeup artist must offer you a makeup trial, so you feel totally confident in your look. Meghan’s look may have looked effortless but believe me – it was no accident. Insist that your makeup artist listens to you and hears what you want to achieve.

As a professional, I always share my advice and opinion, but whether you’re a wannabe Meghan Markle or a closet Marilyn Manson, it’s your wedding day and you’re in charge.

Contact Us

Our experienced team of makeup artists provide bridal makeup and occasion makeup for clients in Ross-on-wye, the wider Herefordshire area and now the Cotswolds. To speak with a member of our team about anything makeup related, please:

Answering your makeup questions…

As promised I said I would show up and answer some of your frequently asked questions this week. Admittedly I received more questions than I anticipated, which is amazing so a HUGE thank you to those who got in touch, although it may mean the Q&A blog may now spill over to next week… so you’ll be hearing from me a little more than usual!

How far in advance shall I book my suppliers?

This question was actually directed at bridal styling however I think I speak on behalf of most wedding suppliers when I say this;

Some suppliers don’t allow bookings too far in advance, but we have bookings for 2019 already so it is always worth asking. So if you have your wedding venue and date booked then I would recommend you get social media stalking so you get a really good feel for the suppliers you love and who you think will serve you best (don’t underestimate the time that will take). We regularly post on Facebook and Instagram so future customers can see our work and get to know us a little bit more.

Once you’ve done your stalking (research!!) then make a shortlist and get in touch with the suppliers. Here at Makeup by Natasha Louise we offer future clients a discovery call which gives you the chance to ask a million questions (which we expect) and decide if we are right stylists- and likewise if we feel we will be in best service to you. We are sharing such intimate moments with you and your nearest and dearest, so it’s so important you like US just as much as you like our work.

As an award winning makeup stylist team, we are very much in demand, especially during the more popular summer months. Every week I have to refer brides to other stylist because we don’t have the capacity. I don’t say this lightly, but I really do feel sad when this happens – I know how tough it is to choose a supplier to then be told they can’t accommodate you, so with this in mind- if you know the team of suppliers you want assisting you on your wedding day then BOOK, it’s never too early as long as you know the date!

“ Some of you may know that I now have the pleasure of planning my own wedding and booking my suppliers. I naively thought I would have a head start being in the wedding industry, but I’m now wondering if actually that makes it harder?! I hope that I have more insight into how brides feel, what they want and the difficult choice they have when it comes to whittling down suppliers”

I hope you have found this helpful, and that little snippets of advice like this make your planning a whole lot smoother.

Wedding Days and Branding Shoots

It’s been a busy couple of weeks for us here at Makeup by Natasha Louise and with Spring almost certainly in the air, things are starting to get busy ahead of the hectic Summer months.

As I’m enjoying a brief quiet moment I thought I’d take this moment to share some photos from two recent shoots we’ve been involved in.

We were lucky enough to be asked to do the makeup for the lovely Jessica and Danielle, ahead of their branding shoot for their business Events on Toast. If you’re in the sports and beauty industry, then you should definitely check them out.

Here’s a sneaky behind the scenes shot, however the professional shots from Tom Durn Photographywill be far more superior – can’t wait to show you all.

We’ve also got these gorgeous photos (below) taken by the super talented Dearest Thing Photography from Cheryl and Colin’s wedding.

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Why I do what I do

and why I really do love my job so much

O F T E N people ask why I do what I do, why I love my job so much and why I don’t grumble at the prospect at getting up at 5am most Saturdays. So I thought I would write a little blog post to explain why I really do love my job so much.

I believe that everyone has a skill and a passion and mine is the ability to enhance peoples natural beauty and bring out their inner confidence,

If someone would’ve told me 5 years ago that I would leave the world of counselling (in which I studied an incredible amount for and for a long time!!) to run a successful, award winning makeup styling business on a full time basis, I’m not sure what I would’ve believed them- I loved my job but now I have found a new love, and I get to transform lives in a very different way!

My job is fun and varied, no two weddings are the same and all my brides bring something new and exciting that I wouldn’t have seen before. I have THE best clients- amazing women in which I share a mutual desire with- wanting to look our best. With over 10 year experience in the beauty and makeup work it has given me a great skill set and that enables me to connect with my brides on many levels. It’s an honour to be able to share some really beautiful moments with them on their wedding day so it’s important for us to connect. This is another reason why a styling consultation is so important, not to just talk about makeup, but for us to get to really know each other ahead of their wedding day.

The emotion I feel when I see brides face light up when I reveal her wedding makeup is actually indescribable- the look of sheer confidence of how they feel is something that I will never tire of. Being a woman today can be tough. We are surrounded by people, magazines and adverts telling us we need to look better, be taller, slimmer or bigger that I can’t imagine every woman feels confident in themselves all of the time- I know I don’t! So getting to spend a few hours with a bride advising her how to best to accentuate her best features and seeing her reaction when she sees herself after really is rewarding.

Beside the reveal on the wedding day my next favourite moment is when I get sent photographs and a thank you letter from the bride. I’m sure I have as much fun as the bride and groom, looking through the photos of their special day. Seeing the bride and her maids in their matching dressing gowns being pampered and sharing special memories with each other is a wonderful thing to capture and even better for me to look back on and remember each and every single wedding I have been involved in.

I try to maintain a good work/ life balance and during family time, I love visiting new places and looking at amazing buildings and scenery which I now get to do as part of my job. I have been lucky to have visited some of the most prestigious and beautiful venues across Gloucestershire and Herefordshire- and again that is something I never tire of.

As always thank you to my clients who have made my dream a reality, without you I wouldn’t be able to do what I love.

Here’s what some of our beautiful brides think about Makeup by Natasha Louise

We’re fortunate enough to meet all sorts of brides across Gloucestershire, Worcestershire and Herefordshire. All of them excited about creating their dream wedding and coming to us to help create that perfect bridal makeup.

It’s always great to get feedback from the lovely ladies we work with on their wedding day, but when they are kind enough to visit our Facebook page after their big day to leave us some lovely feedback, well, it really makes us smile…

Please see a couple of testimonials from some of the brides that have already worked with us in 2017 below:

‘Would highly recommend Make-Up by Natasha Louise. I had previous experience with her work, so it was easy for me to choose my bridal make up artist. She has done brilliant job with my make up and equally bridesmaids make up was outstanding. Even my mum who does not ware make up really enjoyed the whole experience.’ Justyna

‘Not being one to wear a lot of make-up normally I was worried that I would end up not looking like me on my wedding day!! I need not have worried however as Natasha was brilliant putting me at my ease on both my ‘trial’ day and on the wedding day itself. I couldn’t recommend her highly enough – she certainly knows how to make brides feel at ease and make them feel like the most important lady in the world on their special day. Thank you Natasha xx’ Wendy

If you’re looking for a makeup artist to help deliver that perfect bridal makeup for your wedding day then please contact Makeup by Natasha Louise. We have an experienced team of makeup artists covering Gloucestershire, Worcestershire and Herefordshire.

You can speak with a member of the team by calling 07528 038 703 or by completing the contact form here.

OH. MY. GOODNESS.

I have just received the news that I have been voted as county winner for the best makeup artist in Gloucestershire category. Thank you so so much to all my beautiful brides that have voted for me ❤ and for my team who work so hard to deliver the best service to our brides.

Having only moved to Gloucestershire in September I feel this is a huge achievement and will definitely boost my identity for 2017.

Now we will be entered in the county stages were our work, scores and comments will be judged to hopefully be in the running for the overall winner of the three counties.

Here at Makeup by Natasha Louise we take great pride in the bridal makeup and special occasion makeup services we provide for each and every one of our clients.

Our lead makeup artist is located in Cirencester, but our team of vastly experienced and creative makeup artists cover the Cotswolds, wider county of Gloucestershire as well Herefordshire and Worcestershire.

If you’d like inspiration from some of the beautiful brides we’ve worked with previously then head over to our bridal makeup gallery for some ideas. You can also read reviews from lots of our happy clients on our Facebook page.

If you’re keen to discuss bridal makeup and your wedding investment, then feel free to contact the team on 07528 038 703 or by using the contact form below.